“Careful,” Elsa said. “We don’t want to tear it.”
Sally studied her thoughtfully. “We could maybe camouflage that part that doesn’t quite come together.” She turned her brown eyes on Hope. “How long is your veil?”
“That could work,” Sofia agreed.
“I’ve got it.” Margaret snapped her fingers with a victorious smile. “Spanx.”
“Spanx?” They all stared at her, and Margaret nodded proudly.
“I’ve got some right here in my dresser.”
Margaret pranced to her dresser and produced the promised body armor. A few minutes later, in the bathroom, Hope was distressed to learn that it fit. It also did help slim her waist some.
“Okay,” she said, emerging into the bedroom, where the rest of the women waited. “Let’s try again.” Sofia and Sally scooped up the dress and carefully settled it over Hope’s head as she held up her arms.
“Inhale,” Meredith said in commanding tones, and Hope did as she pressed her palms to her waistline.
Yank. Ava tugged at the laces, and the back of the dress came together. Well, almost all the way. “Maybe we should try that veil idea?”
Bile churned in Hope’s stomach. She would never pull this off.
“Here it is,” Sofia said, carrying it over. She settled the veil on Hope’s head and adjusted it while Meredith secured it with bobby pins underneath so they wouldn’t show.
Ava tied the bow at Hope’s waist, and Sofia dropped the lower portion of the veil. It draped down Hope’s back, landing a few inches above her waistline and concealing the slightly gaping back section of the dress.
“Success!” Ava grinned, and the others did, too.
“Oh, Jackie,” Sofia told her. “You look like a fairy princess.”
“Just beautiful,” Sally said.
Hope frowned, worried about how she looked from behind. She peered over her shoulder into the mirror.
Ava discreetly shook her head as Margaret murmured, “Lovely.”
Meredith beamed at her. “That dress fits you like a glove. You look beautiful.”
A very snug glove, Hope thought, feeling stuffed inside it. But, when she turned back around and gazed at her reflection in Margaret’s dresser mirror, she saw that it was true. She really did look beautiful. The gorgeous gown had a lace appliqué bodice with pretty long sleeves, and its organza skirt flounced out like a puffy white cloud around her. The shimmering material crinkled when she moved.
Hope held up the hem and tiptoed to the full-length mirror on a swivel stand in the corner to study her image. She turned and peeked over her shoulder one more time at the stunning lace-up back. The veil really did cover up the gaping portion pretty well. Through its gauzy fabric, it was pretty tough to tell what was laces…and what was Spanx.
“Ooh,” she said, noting the color in her cheeks. “Nice.”
“Better than nice,” Meredith countered. “Spectacular.”
“Ooh. Let’s try it with the veil down,” Sally said, admiring its inlaid lace appliqué that matched the lace on the dress. “How are you going to wear it for the ceremony?” she asked. “Veil forward or flipped back?”
“Not sure yet.” With her standing here in this wedding dress, it was pretty hard not to imagine Brent actually being her groom. Not to want that. So badly.
In an alternate universe, yeah… That would be something.
“What about your hair?” Meredith asked. “Up, or down like you have it now?”
Hope was embarrassed to be liking this so much, but the truth was, she was loving being fussed over. Who knew when she’d ever have a real wedding of her own? So she might as well enjoy this fantasy moment. “I think up would be good.” She smiled at Meredith. “Don’t you?”
“Absolutely.” Meredith seemed to be getting into this, too. So did her mom. Weirdly, it almost seemed that they were half wishing Hope was the one marrying Brent. But that was maybe all in her head.
“I’ve got more bobby pins in the bathroom,” Margaret said. “I’ll go grab some and be right back.” When Margaret returned, Hope removed the veil, and Meredith styled her hair in a loose chignon at her nape with wisps spilling forward.
Sofia added the veil again, and Meredith pinned it in place. Hope’s heart thudded at her reflection. It was hard to believe the gorgeous bride in the mirror was really her.
She bit her bottom lip, wishing with all her might that this was more than make believe, yet she knew that it wasn’t. She’d tried texting Jackie after returning from her walk with Brent, in part to assuage her building guilt. There seemed to be no good solution to this trap she was in—none at all. If only her sister hadn’t continued delaying her arrival, Hope wouldn’t have gotten in so deep with Brent and his family. Maybe Jackie didn’t deserve any of them after all. But, in that case, she reflected sadly, neither did she.
“Hey,” Sally said gently. “No pouty frowns. You look amazing.”
“Wait,” Ava said suddenly. “Shoes.” She rummaged through a box on the bed and pulled out a stunning pair of high-heeled mules that looked like glass slippers. They were accented with ivory lace and had cross-straps over the ankles, which tied in the back with silky cream-colored bows. “I want these shoes,” Ava said, handing them to Hope.
“You never know,” Elsa teased. “Your day could be up next.”
Ava actually blushed. “I might be a little past those opportunities.”
“Bosh,” Margaret contended. “Never.”
“If you’re going to toss a bouquet,” Meredith joked, “your mom and I might have to fight for it.”
“Fine by me,” Sally said, chuckling. “I’m not interested for a while.”
“Are you seeing someone, Meredith?” Grandmother Margaret asked her.
Meredith heaved a sigh. “Yeah, lots of someones, but they’re only clients—and all of them are for somebody else.”
“Hope’s still single, too,” Elsa commented. “Maybe she’ll catch the bouquet.”
“Er…I’m not so sure she has anyone on the horizon, either.”
“That’s what catching the bouquet is for,” Margaret said with a wink. “I caught the bouquet at my best friend’s wedding. Chad and I married eighteen months later.”
“Grandmother,” Sally said warmly. “You’re such an old softie.”
Though she never would have guessed this at first, Hope conceded it was true. She exhaled a bit, and the fabric of her dress pinched. Hope was a bit heavier than Jackie, and every ounce mattered in an outfit like this. All those yummy baked goods back at the carriage house hadn’t helped her figure, either. It was lucky this wedding gown was the lace-up kind and the laces were long enough to be let out enough to accommodate her frame. It still wasn’t very comfortable, but at least she’d gotten it on.